Tom Riddle's Summer
by Lady Lestrange
Summary: One Shot. Takes place after Myrtle was murdered.


**Tom Riddle's Summer **

**By Lady Lestrange**

**Disclaimer:** The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. No money is made from this Fanfic. -THANKS JK for letting us play in your world.

Takes place on the last day of school after Myrtle was killed..

"Why won't you let me stay? Why can't I stay? You said, if the monster was caught…" I paced back and forth in the Headmaster's office the beady eyes of the portraits following my progress with sympathy.

"No, no, Tom. You cannot remain at Hogwarts during the summer. You need to return home." Dippit sank down into his chair as if the trials of the school year had exhausted him. "You need to go home," he repeated.

"I have no home!" I spat. "Only here--"

"Tom, it's not that bad. You're exaggerating."

Dumbledore came in at that moment. "Oh, I'm sorry Headmaster. I thought you were alone." He just looked at me with those twinkling eyes, and I knew he knew. He could see my pain, just like he could see that I had lied about the monster….about Hagrid.

"This is about Hagrid," I thought. "This is my punishment isn't it?"

The blue eyes widened a bit, but Dumbledore said nothing after all, Dippit was watching. He couldn't admit to legimizing me, could he? The miserable bastard. I hated him.

"Tom was just leaving," said Dippit. "He has to pack. The Express will be leaving soon."

I felt myself being ejected from the Headmaster's office. My chance was slipping away. I threw away my pride.

"Please," I whispered, my lip trembling. I had never allowed them to see me like this, especially not Dumbledore. I didn't look at him. I looked only at Dippit. "This is my home. My family is here. My friends are here. Please don't send me back there."

"Your friends are going home," replied Dumbledore, his blue eyes hard, unwavering. "Tom, no one will be at school."

"Then, let me go with my friends. They said I could," I tried to keep the whine out of my voice, but I don't think I was successful. "Malfoy wants me to come--" I whispered.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question," said Dumbledore, those damned twinkling eyes staring at me as if I had asked to go to hell and back. I wondered when he gained control of this conversation. It was supposed to be Dippit. Dippit was the Headmaster, not damned Dumbledore.

I look helplessly back at Dippit. The Headmaster was my last chance. I thought he would listen. I thought all I did for him: Head Boy, Prefect, perfect student…I thought it all meant something. .

I guess I was wrong.

I don't remember the walk back to my dorm. Tears pooled in my eyes, but no one noticed. I placed the glamours without even thinking now. My carriage, my face my entire being exuded power. People were afraid to look directly at me. The glamours did their job too well. No one saw the broken hearted boy inside. They saw only power. I found myself at the entrance to the Chamber. I had told myself I wouldn't go there. It was too dangerous. Someone could find out now that Myrtle was dead. How could I explain my presence in the girl's bathroom? But in the end, it doesn't matter. I relish the cold stone as I cry out in parseltongue, "Speak to me greatest of the Hogwarts four!" Yes, speak to me, I thought, no one else will. No one else cares.

The basilisk slithered to my lap and entwined around my arm like a pet. I wonder,

How can I leave her for nearly three months? She senses my distress. "I will be fine without you Master. Will you be fine without me?"

"I don't know," I tell her. Anger bursts forth. What am I supposed to do now?

"Live," suggests the basilisk. "Kill, eat, satisfy the hunger."

It was a long while before I left the Chamber. All of the others had left the dormitory, only Malfoy was still there, pacing nervously. "Tom, where have you been? Are you coming home with me or not? The train is about to leave."

My stuff has been miraculously packed. Malfoy house elves, I think.

I shake my head

Even though we are late, Malfoy closes the door and sits on my bed beside me. "It's too bad you can't come home with me," He murmurs. "But we can still write, you know." Maybe my Father can do something to get you away from the Muggles."

"Maybe." I closed my eyes but I can still feel tears prickling behind my eyelids. Magic builds impossibly inside of me. "Can he blow up the damned orphanage?" I wonder aloud. My anger bursts forth, shattering the oak door off of its hinges. It has been years since I've done accidental magic. I felt childish.

Malfoy looks at the door with a wry smile. "You never know," he says joking, but as I look up at him, I think he isn't joking at all. "Dippit's such a prick."

"It's Dumbledore," I said. "I could have convinced Dippit.

"You'll convince them all," said Malfoy.

"Yes," I said, my eyes blazing red. "Someday I will."

"Someday soon. Don't worry Lord Voldemort," teased Malfoy as he clapped me on the back. "We'll have you out of that orphanage before you can say Mudblood."

oo

Review. Come read and review my other fics.

Please note, the Malfoy mentioned here cannot be Lucius, but must be Lucius' father or uncle. I know Lucius is not the right age to be in school with Tom.


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